Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid made a brutally honest admission about his recent play following the team’s latest loss on Thursday.
Embiid was held to just 15 points on 3-of-9 shooting in Thursday’s 124-104 loss to the Boston Celtics, continuing a string of underwhelming showings for the former MVP. After the game, the star center admitted that he simply does not feel physically capable of delivering the level of performance he has become accustomed to, and he does not have a lot of faith that he can find that level this season.
“The way I was playing a year ago is not the way I’m playing right now,” Embiid said, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “It sucks. … I probably need to fix the problem, and then I’ll be back at that level. But it’s hard to have trust when you’re not yourself.”
Embiid averaged 34.7 points per game last season, but that number has fallen to 24.3 points per game this season. He has only appeared in 18 contests, with the floundering 76ers in real danger of missing the playoffs.
The 2023 MVP certainly has not looked like himself recently, and has made some shocking blunders in recent weeks. One wonders if he simply does not trust his body right now.
The 30-year-old anticipates another surgery on his left knee, which has been the primary source of his problems this year. Embiid is trying to put that off until the end of the season, but one has to wonder if it would be better for all involved if Embiid is shut down early and undergoes the procedure as soon as possible.
Thursday’s loss dropped the Sixers to 20-35. They could still qualify for the Play-In Tournament, but it is hard to see any real upside even if they do.
